Store History

Founded:
2003

Founded by:
Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung

Headquarters:
Los Angeles, CA

What's next after putting together a 52-piece accessories collection that eventually sold out at Targets across the nation? Poketo owners Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung brought their brand of "art for your everyday" back home to Downtown Los Angeles, opening their very own retail shop to showcase their signature eye for both local and global modernist designs for nearly every corner of the home...

It can be difficult to describe the scope of everything available inside the L-shaped walls of the Arts District Downtown store, such is the plentitude of rainbow hued designs for the desk, walls, ceilings, kitchen, shelves, and even clothing and fashion accessories, all neatly arranged for your eyes to wander in a sort of colorful game of retail connect-the-dots. I often found myself spinning or pivoting back and forth between tables and displays as my eyes would catch yet another "ooh, look at that" item.

If you can't already tell from the photos above, Poketo specializes in vibrant colors, a penchant for the geometric, and an ever present sense of playful humor permeating through their catalog of hand-picked wares. Ted and Angie have never forgotten the "fun" in "functional", and the store invites customers to look, touch, and try things on for size, with many items revealing an "a-ha!" detail upon closer inspection. Simply put, the Poketo Store is the answer to your question, "What do I get for the design nerd in my life without emptying my wallet?", thus making it one of my new favorite gift destinations.

Co-founder (and Ted's wife), Angie Myung, shared the store wasn't just conceived as a retail venture, but also as an opportunity to help establish a creative and collaborative space for their circle of friends. Plans are already brewing for artists, musicians, and even chefs to drop in for workshops and presentations, and invite the possibility of collaboration between presenters and attendees, underlining Poketo's goal to bring the concept of the "pop-up shop" right back into their own space with community building in mind.

For those who can't make it to the Poketo party in Los Angeles, don't fret, there's always their online store, a virtual facsimile to the wondrous wares of their new brick and mortar venture.